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6 thoughts on “Newly Diagnosed with Bipolar 2”

I very much liked your video, and you presented your situation very clearly.

I am happy that you are doing well, and I hope you continue to thrive.

I had a nephew with both Asperger’s Syndrome (probably much worse than yours, but obviously I can’t say that for sure), and a mood disorder (they said probably bipolar type 2). He did not have fibromyalgia, but I have known many people with bipolar disorder who do. I think there may well be some link given the coincidence, but we’ll see if doctors ever confirm that.

I have bipolar type 1 and my sister (that nephew’s mother) has bipolar 2. You’re right that there are certainly differences in presentation. My poor nephew suffered greatly with depression for most of his short life. He had multiple ECT treatments and 9 psychiatric hospitalizations. I don’t know if his Asperger’s played a role in his depression or not. Maybe if you ever learn that answer, please share it. His brother also has Asperger’s, but not as severe as he had. His brother has never had mood issues, but has had some neurological issues, possibly seizures.

I feel greatly for your nephew and can imagine some of the things he must have gone through. I think it is hard for anyone to understand the affects of having autism and a mood disorder unless they deal with both themselves. I can see now how both have been huge in shaping and affecting my life, ability to work, ability to function, and ability to have a social life. I do think autism can play a role in depression just from personal experience. The feeling that you are an alien in an inhospitable planet and that no one really understands you and you don’t really understand other people can definitely make you depressed. Not to mention having to deal with all the sensory issues and not often being cut any slack in order to do so. I think being high functioning is a double edged sword because you still deal with so much but since your IQ is high, everyone expects you to just act “normal”.

You clearly really understand. Please use that understanding to always help you along the way, and not take away hope. The fact that you express yourself so very well here is a blessing. I think that my nephew’s inability to express himself was very painful for him.

I often think the internet is God’s gift to autistics, it gives those of us with horrible social anxiety the ability to correspond with others in a way more comfortable. In person I can be really shy – if I can even drag myself to a social event in the first place lol. I think another truly tough thing about being high-functioning is that we are smart enough to KNOW we aren’t like everyone else and to know when others are making fun of us and what they are saying. Some of us have mutism in situations like that so we may not respond to bullying, but we feel it deep inside and never forget it. Sometimes we don’t even tell anyone we are being mistreated, another aspect of the mutism I think.

Bless you, maranda x I’ve just found your YouTube channel and respect how open you are about your CFS and Bipolar. I have huge social anxiety and EUPD/borderline personality disorder. I’m very open about it at work and get some nervous looks when I talk about it. I’m trying to break the stigma, but some people just can’t understand that I suffer from a personality disorder as I “look so normal” – so what does a person with BPD look like then?

I’ll try and send something from England to your PO Box soon, keep up the good work on your blog and YouTube channel

Aw, thanks so much! You sound so sweet! I find being open is just so much easier and lighter than trying to hide stuff. Growing up, I had to hide a lot of what went on at home, so I think when I grew up I wanted to quit hiding stuff so much and just be me, even if some people don’t like it. I’ve read a lot about BPD and other cluster B personality disorders because I knew someone closely who had a lot of NPD characteristics and was abusive. Unfortunately, I think all cluster B people get a bad rap because of the abusive ones in their midst.